Magnet racing device



Oct. 25, 1955 J. L. WHITLOCK MAGNET RACING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1953 Oct. 25, 1955 J, 1.. WHITLOCK MAGNET RACING DEVICE INVENTOR.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1953 Oct. 25, 1955 J. L. WHITLOCK MAGNET RACING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 6, 1953 mm m W 0 A n m b m United States Patent MAGNET RACING DEVICE John Leonard Whitlock, Mount Vernon, Ill. Application March 6, 1953, Serial No. 340,692

Claims. (Cl. 273-86) This invention relates to magnet racing devices and more particularly to a racing device in which objects, such as simulated racing cars, are propelled around a track by moving magnets under operator steering control.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved magnet racing device including an annular track and motor driven carriages mounted on and propelled around the track for carrying objects, such as simulated racing cars, around the track; wherein the magnet carriages are concealed below the track and the racing cars are mounted on top of the track in full view; wherein operator control means are provided for steering the cars as they are propelled around the track, there being a separate steering control for each of the racing cars, in which manually operated means are provided for controlling the speed of the motor driven magnet carriages, so that each of at least two operators can control both the speed and direction of selected racing cars; and which device is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and entertaining to operate.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a magnet racing device illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 2+2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a steering control assembly constituting an operative component of the device; and

Figure7 is a cross sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 6.

With continued reference to the drawings, the device comprises a sheet material housing, generally indicated at 10, preferably formed of a non-magnetic material, such as sheet aluminum, and preferably of oval or somewhat elliptical shape, as illustrated in Figure 1, to simulate a racing track. The housing includes a horizontal annular wall 11 supported near its outer edge on vertically disposed rods or legs' 12, an outer annular wall 13 upstanding perpendicularly from the outer edge of the annular wall 11, an inner annular wall 14 upstanding perpendicularly from the inner edge of the annular wall 11, a central, horizontally disposed wall 15 marginally joined to the upper edge of the inner vertical wall 14 and a lower inner wall or plate 16 disposed below and substantially parallel to the wall 15 and marginally joined to the wall 14 somewhat above the inner edge of the annular wall 11 of the housing.

7 Au annular track 18 extends transversely from the inner vertical wall 14 to the outer vertical wall 13 of the housing and entirely around the space between the two vertical housing walls, being disposed above and substantially parallel to the bottom wall 11 of the housing.

Racing objects, such as the simulated racing cars 20 and 21, are mounted on the track 18 for movement around the track, and each of these cars carries an element, as indicated at 22 and 23, which is magnetically attracted by a corresponding magnet disposed below the track 18 and moving therearound to propel the racing cars around the track without any physical connection to the cars.

The inner upper wall 15 of the housing is provided with a central aperture surrounded by a first fixed central member or an upstanding flange 24 and a first rotary member or hollow cylindrical structure 25 extends through the aperture in the wall 15 and is journaled in the cylindrical flange 24. The axis of the structure 25 is disposed perpendicular to the plane of the wall 15 and a collar 26 surrounds the cylindrical structure 25 medially of the length of the structure and bears on the upper edge of the flange 24 to support the structure for rotation on the flange. The structure 25 is held in position in the aperture by a flanged collar 27 embracingly engaging the collar 26 and secured to the wall 15.

A bracket 28 is secured at one end to the cylinder 25 near the lower end of the cylinder and extends downwardly and outwardly from the cylinder, and a first tubular arm 29 consisting of parts 46 and 47 arranged in end to end relation and connected together at the confronting ends for pivotal movement as at 44 has the free end of the part 46 secured to the bracket 28 remote from the first rotary member or cylinder 25, the free end of the part 47 being pivotally connected as at to the adjacent end of a first carriage 48. The two-part tubular arm 29 extends horizontally below the track 18 to the outer vertical wall 13 of the housing 10. Immediately below the track 18 the vertical wall 13 is provided with an outwardly extending annular bead formation 30 extending entirely around the housing and providing at the inner side of the wall a first outer bearing groove 31. A

' roller 32 is mounted on the end of the carriage 48 remote from the bracket 28 and rolls on the portion of the wall 13 constituting the bottom of the groove 31 to support the carriage for swinging movement about the axis of the cylinder 25. A first driving means or fractional horsepower electric motor 33 is secured at one end to the first carriage 48 adjacent the housing outer wall 13 and depends from this carriage, and a friction wheel 34 is mounted on the motor shaft 35 below the motor and bears against the inner side of the housing wall 13 to swing the carriage 48 about the axis of the cylinder 25 when the motor is energized. A pair of contact strips 36 and 37 extend around the inner side of the outer housing wall 13 immediately below the formation 30 and the motor is provided with brushes 38 and 39 which rub against these contact strips. Current is supplied to the contact strips from a suitable source of current through the wires 40 and 41 and a manually operable electrical resistance device or rheostat 42 is connected into the wire 40, so that the speed of the motor 33 can be manually controlled.

The arm portions 46 and 47 may be of tubular construction of circular cross sectional shape, or may be solid members, if desired. 7

A bar 50 is secured on the first carriage 48 adjacent the outer surface of the inner vertical wall 14 of the housing and is disposed perpendicular to the part 48 and extendspart 48 disposed transversely of the track 18 at all times,

3 the bar 50 and rollers 51 and 52 being disposed within a raised flange formation 53 of the track immediately surrounding the inner vertical wall 14 of the housing and providing a first inner groove.

A first magnet means or magnet 55 is slidably mounted in the carriage 48 beneath the track 18, and a first flexible, push and pull device, such as a Bowden wire, has one end of its core 56, connected to the magnet 55 and the other end of its core projecting out of the end, of the, part 46 of the arm 29 connected to the bracket 28. A bell crank lever 57 is pivotally mounted at its angle on the lower endof a pair of ears58 depending from the bottom end of the cylinder 25 and the, core 56 is pivotally connected at its end remote from the magnet, 55 to one end of the bell crank lever 57. A hollow piston 58' is-rnounted: in the cylinder 25 for reciprocatory movement longitudinally of the cylinder and a rod 59- is rotatably connected at its upper end to the bottom end of the piston 58' coaxially of the cylinder 25, extends through a central aperture in the bottom wall of the cylinder and is pivotally connected at its lower end to the other end of the bell. crank lever 57.

In the arrangement illustrated, the lower half of the.

cylinder 25 is rotatable relative to the other half, sov that the upper half can be held stationary while the lower half rotates, and a flexible push and pull device 60, such. as a Bowden wire, has one end of its sheath connected to the top wall of the cylinder 25, and its core 62 extending through a centrally located aperture in the top wall of the cylinderand rotatable connected to the topend of the piston 58 coaxially of the cylinder. At its end remote from the cylinder 25 the sheath 61 of the Bowden wire 60v is connected to one end of a hollow housing 63 and the core 62; of the Bowden wire extends into the hollow housing and is connected to a rack bar 64 slidably mounted in the housing 63. A shaft 65 is journaled in the housing and carries within the housing a pinion gear 66 meshing withthe rack bar 64 and a handwheel 67 is secured on the shaft 65 externally of the housing 63.

With this arrangement, when the handwheel 67 is turned in one direction or the other, it moves the core 62 of the push and pull element 60 longitudinally through.

the sheath 61 of this element and raises or lowers the piston 58' in the cylinder 25. Raising or lowering of the piston 58' swings the bell crank lever 57 about its pivotal connection with the ear 58 and this pulls the core wire 56, one way or the other through the parts 46 and 47 of the arm 29 and moves the magnet 55 transversely of the track 18. The magnet 55 attracts the, magnetic element 22 of the simulated racing car and propels this car around the track when the carriage 48s swings about the axis of the cylinder and also steers the car transversely of the track when the magnet is moved longitudinally. of the arm portion 48 while this arm portion is swinging around the track and propelling the associated car. The

handwheel 67 and the thus described elements connectingsame to the first rotary member or cylinder 25 and the magnet 55 constitutes a first control means for selectively moving the magnet means crosswise of the track plate 18.

By operating the handwheel 67 and the rheostat 42, the operator of the car 20 can control both the speed and direction of this car as it is propelled around the track by the motor carriage 33.

The above described car propelling and car steering mechanism is duplicated at the lower side of the housing 10, and includes a second rotary member or hollow cylinder 70 mounted in a centrally disposed aperture in the horizontal housing wall 16 and provided with an annular external collar 71 resting upon the upper edge of a second fixed central member or a downwardly extending cylindrical flange surrounding the opening in the wall 16'. The upper half of the cylinder 70 is rotatable relativeto the lower half of this cylinder, and a bracket 73 is secured at One-end to the upper end of the cylinder 70 and extends upwardly. and outwardly from this-cylinder.

A second flexible tubular arm 75 consisting of parts 74 and 74a arranged in end to end relation and connected together at the confronting ends for pivotal movement as at 75a has the free end of the part 74 secured to the bracket 73 remote from the second rotary member 70, the free end of the part 74a being pivotally connected as at 75b to the adjacent end of a second carriage 83. The carriage 83 has projecting from its other end a downwardly extending, angularly offset portion 76 which permits the motor carriage 33 to pass by the carriage 83 without interference.

The housing wall 13 is provided below the bead formation 30 with a second outwardly projecting, annular bead formation 78 providing therewithin a second outer annular groove 79 extending around the housing wall 13 below and parallel to the groove 31 and the second carriage 83 is provided on its outer end with a roller 80 which rests upon the portion of the formation 78 constituting the bottom surface of the groove 79 to support the outer end of the carriage 83. A bar 82 is mounted on the carriage 83 extending transversely of the track 18, this bar 82 being disposed adjacent the outer side of the inner vertical wall 14 of the housing, and disposed perpendicular to the carriage 83 and extending substantially equal distances to respectively opposite sides of this carriage. Rollers 84 and 85 are journaled on the bar 82, one at each end thereof, and bear against the outer surface of the inner vertical wall 14 to maintain' the carriage 83 transverse to the track 18 as the carriage 83 is swung around the track about the axis of the cylinder 70, the bar 82 and rollers 84 and 85 being disposed within a raised flange formation 82a and providing a second inner groove. The two-part arm 75 will buckle in the same manner as the two-part arm 29, as described above, as the carriage 83 moves along the straight side portions of the track into the rounded end portions and back into the straight side portions, so that the carriage 83 can follow the oval or elliptical track.

A motor carriage 88 including a second driving means or small electric motor 89, secured at one end to the carriage 83 adjacent the outer wall 13 of the housing, depends from the carriage 83 and a friction wheel 90 mounted on the lower end of the shaft of the motor 89 bears against the inner surface of the side wall 13 of the housing to propel the carriage 83 around the track when the motor 89 is energized.

Conductor strips 92 and 93 extend around the inner side of the housing wall 13 below the bead formation 7.8 andare supplied with electrical energy through conductor wires 94 and 95 respectively, the conductor wire 94 including a manually operated rheostat 96 which controls the speed of the motor 89. The motor 89 is provided with brushes 97 and 98 which respectively. engage the conductor strips 92 and 93 to supply electrical energy to the motor.

A bell crank lever 100 is pivotally mounted at its angle on the upper end of an ear 101 which projects upwardly from. the top end of the cylinder 70, and the core wire 102 of a flexible push and pull device 103, such as a Bowden wire, is connected at its end nearest the cylinder 70 to one end of the bell crank lever 100. A second magnet means or magnet 104 is slidably mounted in the carriage 83 and connected to the other end of the core wire 102. The cylinder 70 contains a hollow piston corresponding to the piston 58, and the other end of the bell crank lever 100 is connected to the upper end of the piston in the cylinder 70 by a rod 105' which is disposed coaxially of the cylinder 70 and rotatably connected to the associated piston.

A second flexible push and pull device 106', such as a Bowden wire, has one end of its sheath rigidly connected to thebottom end of the cylinder 70, and the corresponding end of its core wire connected to the lower end housing which corresponds tothe housing 63 and contains a rack'bar corresponding to the rack bar 64, and the core wire of the element 106 is connected at its corresponding end to the rack bar in the housing 107. A handwheel 108 is mounted on a shaft journaled in the housing 107 which shaft has thereon a pinion gear corresponding to the pinion gear 65 and meshing with the associated rack bar for moving the core wire of the flexible push and pull element 106 longitudinally of the sheath of this element.

The above described mechanism is eflective to move the magnet 103 longitudinally of the arm portion 83 upon rotation of the handwheel 78 in the same manner that the magnet55 is moved longitudinally of the arm 29 by rotational movements of the handwheel 67, as described above. The magnetic element 23 of the car 21 is attracted by the magnet 103, so that the car 21,is propelled around the track by the swinging of the arm 75 around the track by the motor carriage 88, and movements of the car 21 transversely of the track, as it is propelled around the track, are controlled by the handwheel 108. The handwheel 108 and the thus described elements connecting the second rotary member or cylinder 70 and the magnet 104 constitute a second control means for selectively moving the second magnet means crosswise of the track plate 18.

While it is possible that more than two racing objects, such as simulated racing cars, may be provided on the track 18, it has been found that the device is best adapted to the use of two cars, since the provision of additional arms required for additional cars tends to cause interference between the swinging arms and to introduce problems, the solution of which would render the device unduly complicated and expensive. With the two cars provided and the two control assemblies, two players can operate the device and control their selected cars as the cars are propelled around the track, causing the cars to steer transversely of the track'and to increase or decrease their speed according to the desires of the operators.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a magnetic racing device, a housing having an oval side wall, an oval non-magnetic track plate within said side wall having an outer peripheral edge fixed to said side wall at a point below the upper edge of the side wall, an outer groove in said side wall below said track plate, an inner groove on said housing at the inner edge of said track and below said track plate, a carriage positioned beneath said track plate having outer and inner ends, outer and inner rollers on the ends of said carriage supportably engaged in said outer and inner grooves, magnet means slidably supported on said carriage, a central member fixed on said housing centrally of said track plate, a rotary member journaled on said central member, a flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said rotary member, a flexible arm having an outer end secured to said carriage and an inner end secured to said rotary member, and driving means for moving said carriage around the track plate.

2. In a magnetic racing device, a housing having an oval side Wall, an oval non-magnetic track plate within said side wall having an outer peripheral edge fixed to said side wall at a point below the upper edge of the side wall, a first outer groove in said side wall below said track 6 plate, a first inner groove on said housing at the innef edge of said track and below said track plate, a first carriage positioned beneath said track plate having outer and inner ends, outer and inner rollers on the ends of said carriage supportably engaged in said outer and inner grooves, first magnet means slidably supported on said carriage, a first central member fixed on said housing centrally of said track plate, a first rotary member journaled on said first central member, a first flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said rotary member, a first flexible arm having an outer end secured to said carriage and an inner end secured to said first rotary member, and first driving means for moving said first carriage around the track plate, a second outer groove on said housing side wall below said first outer groove, a second inner groove on said housing beneath said first inner groove, a second carriage below said track plate and circumferentially spaced around the track plate relative to said first carriage, said second carriage having outer and inner ends carrying rollers supportably and severally engaged in said second outer and inner grooves, second magnet means slidably supported on said second carriage, a second central member fixed on said housing centrally of the track plate having a second rotary member journaled thereon, a second flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said second magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said second rotary member, a second flexible arm having outer and inner ends severally secured to said second carriage and said second rotary member, and second driving means for moving said second carriage around the track plate.

3. In a magnetic racing device, a housing having an oval side wall, an oval non-magnetic track plate within said side wall having an outer peripheral edge fixed to said side wall at a point below the upper edge of the side wall, a first outer groove in said side wall below said track plate, a first inner groove on said housing at the inner edge of said track and below said track plate, a first carriage positioned beneath said track plate having outer and inner ends, outer and inner rollers on the ends of said carriage supportably engaged in said outer and inner grooves, first magnet means slidably supported on said carriage, a first central member fixed on said housing centrally of said track plate, a first rotary member journaled on said first central member, a first flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said rotary member, a first flexible arm having an outer end secured to said carriage and an inner end secured to said first rotary member, and first driving means for moving said first carriage around the track plate, a second outer groove on said housing side wall below said first outer groove, a second inner groove on said housing beneath said first inner groove, a second carriage below said track plate and circumferentially spaced around the track plate relative to said first carriage, said second carriage having outer and inner ends carrying rollers supportably and severally engaged in said second outer and inner grooves, second magnet means slidably supported on said second carriage, a second central member fixed on said housing centrally of the track plate having a second rotary member journaled thereon, a second flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said second magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said second rotary member, a second flexible arm having outer and inner ends severally secured to said second carriage and said second rotary member, and second driving means for moving said second carriage around the track plate, means mounting said second magnet means on said second carriage for movement crosswise of the track plate, and second control means on said housing and connected to said second magnet means for selec- 7 tively moving said second magnet means crosswise of the track plate independently of said first magnet means.

4. In a magnetic racing device, a housing having an oval side Wall, an oval non-magnetic track plate Within said side wall having an outer peripheral edge fixed to said side wall at a point below the upper edge of the side Wall, an outer groove in said side wall below said track plate, an inner groove on said housing at the inner edge of said track and below said track plate, a carriage positioned beneath said track plate having outer and inner ends, outer and inner rollers on the ends of said carriage supportably engaged in said outer and inner grooves, magnet means slidably supported on said carriage, a central member fixed on said housing centrally of said track plate, a rotary member journaled on said central member, a flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said rotary member, a flexible arm having an outer end secured to said carriage and an inner end secured to said rotary member, and driving means for moving said carriage around the track plate, said driving means comprising motor means operatively connected to an outer roller.

5. In a magnetic racing device, a housing having an oval side wall, an oval non-magnetic track plate within said side Wall having an outer peripheral edge fixed to said side Wall at a point below the upper edge of the side wall, a first outer groove in said side wall below said track plate, a first inner groove on said housing at the inner edge of said track and below said track plate, a first carriage positioned beneath said track plate having outer and inner ends, outer and inner rollers on the ends of said carriage supportably engaged in said outer and inner grooves, first magnet means slidably supported on said carriage, a first central member fixed on said housing centrally of said track plate, a first rotary member journaled on said first central member, a first flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said first magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said first rotary member, a first flexible arm having an outer end secured to said carriage and an inner end secured to said first rotary member, and first driving means for moving said first carriage around the track plate, a second outer groove on said housing side wall below said first outer groove, a second inner groove on said housing beneath said first inner groove, a second carriage below said track plate and circumferentially spaced around the track plate relative to said first carriage, said second carriage having outer and inner ends carrying rollers supportably and severally engaged in said second outer and inner grooves, second magnet means slidably supported on said second carriage, a second central member fixed on said housing centrally of the track plate having a second rotary member journaled thereon, a second flexible push and pull device having one end operatively connected to said second magnet means and having the other end operatively connected to said second rotary member, a second flexible arrn having outer and inner ends severally secured to said second carriage and said second rotary member, and second driving means for moving said second carriage around the track plate, said first and second driving means each comprising motor means operatively and severally connected to outer rollers of said first and second carriages.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,495 Robins Apr. 10, 1951 2,639,545 Pastorius May 26, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 454,373 Italy 1950 497,955 Belgium 1951 1,007,433 France 1952 w Emac 

